NBA legend Jerry West isn’t on the best of terms with the Lakers franchise. In a recent story for ESPN, West opened up on the falling out with his former team and revealed that he’d almost prefer it if he were never associated with the 17x champions.
“Look at all the tragedies every day that go on. You just wonder, ‘Are you pushing your luck by putting so much pressure on yourself to try to help make a difference?’ … And I like pressure, but, after a while, I really don’t know if it’s good for you. I really don’t — and particularly at this point in my life… I almost wish,” West told ESPN, “that I had never played or worked for [the Lakers].”
The Lakers are known, among other things, for their superior treatment of stars and it’s part of the reason why so many great players have signed up to wear the Purple and Gold over the years. West, however, was drafted by the Lakers and chose to stick around for the entirety of his 14-year career.
He was one of the top point guards in the league during his NBA tenure, with averages of 27.0 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.8 rebounds per game on 47.4% shooting. He was a 14x All-Star, 12x All-NBA player, and former NBA champion.
West was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980 and is widely remembered today for being a hero of the Lakers. But following his tragic passing this year (at age 86), people are starting to re-evaluate his relationship with his former franchise.
Despite all he had done for the team and his vast connections within, he had a falling out with the organization that was never resolved. The crux of the issue was during Wests’ time in the front office. He disapproved of the relationship between Jeanie Buss and head coach Phil Jackson and was subsequently banished by the Lakers owner herself.
They revoked Jerry’s season tickets, an act with West considered personal, and refused any future efforts to reconcile with the NBA legend. West took on jobs with the Warriors and Clippers, eventually severing all ties with the Lakers. Things stayed that way until Jerry’s death in June of this year, which the Lakers responded to with a relatively brief statement.
For such a legendary franchise and an iconic player, it’s really a shame that things had to devolve to this point. West was one of the first to lead the Lakers to prosperity and he deserves to be celebrated and honored among the Lakers community.
Instead, his history is often overlooked in favor of other, more recent Lakers who cozied up to the management. It just goes to show how things can go wrong for even the most established stars and how much control these owners have over their team’s legacy.
